1. Field of the Invention
The illustrative embodiment of the present invention relates generally to cue sticks and specifically to an improved cue stick, cue stick handle and design thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cue stick for playing pool or billiards or similar games in that genre is an elongated tapered shaft with a handle at one end and a tip at the other end. The cue stick can be integrally formed or made of two or more members engaged together along a linear axis. For example, the cue stick may be made of a cue shaft portion, complete with a tip for striking the balls, and a base or handle portion to provide the length and balance to the shaft portion. The two portions are secured at a joint, which allows the user to separate the two portions for ease in carrying and storing the cue stick. Typically, joints are bolt-type couplings with a screw mechanism (or pin), allowing the handle to be readily engaged and disengaged from the cue shaft.
One common fault observed in this existing design is the weakness of the joint at which the cue shaft connects to the handle. With conventional two or three piece cue sticks, the joint connecting the shaft to the handle are typically weak and are prone to breaking or splitting when exposed to lateral or bending stress.
In order to provide optimum performance, a cue stick needs to have a rigid handle section and have a preferably perfectly straight axis. It is also desirable for the cue stick to generate minimal vibration when striking a cue ball, and to provide a radially consistent “feel” and performance regardless of the orientation or rotation of the cue stick in the player's hand. However, another fault common to most conventional cue sticks is the lack of sufficient rigidity in the handle between the cue shaft and the point at which the player holds the handle. This lack of rigidity occurs because, generally, most professional grade cue sticks and/or cue handles are made of hardwood, such as hard maple, which tends to be less rigid than would be optimal for the cue handle.
Most design improvements in cue sticks have focused on improving the cue shaft, since it is the shaft that strikes the balls and needs to exhibit certain bend and response characteristics when the ball is struck. Consequently, most cue shafts are light weight and have a certain amount of flexion at the tip end in order to provide for better playability on the cue ball.
However, several of the performance characteristics of importance to a cue stick, e.g., weight and balance (or center of gravity) and rigidity, are determined by the handle. These characteristics also add to the good “feel” of a cue stick. Given the desire for a lighter cue shaft, characteristics of weight and balance and rigidity are primarily addressed in the cue handle. Several designs exist that enable a user to add weight to the cue stick after the stick is manufactured. For example, U.S. Patent Application 2002/0072423 provides a cue stick with a “weight slot” in the handle segment in which removable weights may be added to adjust the overall weight of the stick. Still other methods exist, such as sliding and/or attaching weight rings on to the outer circumference of the handle, to enable addition of a desired weight to the cue stick. Changes to the weight, balance, flex and overall operational characteristics of a cue stick are conventionally accomplished by insertion of weights, stiffening members such as inlays or spliced-in “points” in the forearm, and spacer material.
While these prior art methods enable the addition of weight to the cue stick, the weight is typically added in a manner that results in a weight distribution and a center of mass that are less desirable. Additionally, the single focus on adding weight to the stick requires a post-manufacture “fix” or enhancement of the cue stick to attempt to slightly improve the overall playability of the cue stick.